Controlled temperature vapor-bath cabinet



June 2, 1953 0.* a. BURWELL 2,640,201"

CONTROLLED TEMPERATURE VAPOR-BATH CABINET Filed July 23, 1951ssheets-sheet' 1 A I i Av INVENTOR;

20 R Bul'well.

' BY I HTTORNEYS.

un; 2, 1953 o. R. sunwsu. 2,640,201

CONTROLLED VAPORBATH CABINET Filed July 23, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR, Orla R. Bur'weZl.

HTTORNEY5:

Patented June 2, 1953 CONTROLLED TEMPERATURE VAPOR-BATH CABINET Orlo R.Burwell, Truth or Consequences, NJMex.

Application July 23, 1951, Serial No. 238,180

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to a controlled temperature vapor-bath cabinet.

An object of this invention is to provide a cabinet in which a personcan receive in an emcient manner and with ease an excellent vaporbath.

Another object of this invention is to improve the construction of thetank of the cabinet, in which are rack sockets and head-rest sockets,together with a novel motor compartment structure under the head-rest ofthe cabinet.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a cabinet with ahead-rest structure having triple functions in that on the head-rest thepatients head rests; a cover for the motor compartment is provided, anda guard is provided, thereby preventing the user from accidentallycontacting the motor.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, this invention comprisescertain novel constructions, combinations, and arrangements of parts aswill be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a cabinet constructed in accordance withthis invention.

Figure 2 is a view in elevation of the left hand end of the cabinet.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the cabinet with the cover removed.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 4-4, Figure 1 andlooking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken on line 55,Figure 3 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 6 is an elevated view of the cabinet looking at the right handend thereof.

Figure '7 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 1I, Figure 1 andlooking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic view of the pipe system by means of which thecabinet is supplied with vapor or steam and with preferably mineralwater.

Referring to the drawings in which the preferred embodiment of thisinvention is illustrated, I designates a tank formed of any suitablematerial, such as concrete. The tank I is of a general rectangular shapeand is provided near its right end with a transverse partition 2. Theright end of the tank I is provided with a cutaway portion 3, Fig. 5,whereby access may be obtained to the motor compartment 4. In the motorcompartment 4 is a bracket 5, upon which is mounted the motor 6. Inopposite walls or sides of tank I are head-rest receiving sockets I, inwhich the ends of head-rest 8 rest.

A cover 9 is mounted on hinges III, which hinges are also secured to thetop edge of the tank I, Fig. 1. The cover 9 is provided preferably withtwo grips II, whereby the operator can easily move the cover to an openor closed position. It is to be noted that the cover 9 only covers themain part of the tank I, while the head-rest 8 covers the motorcompartment 4. The cover 9 has a water pipe I2, which extendslongitudinally over said cover. Within the cover 9 are a pluraliyt ofshowers I3, which showers are suitably connected to said water pipe I2,Fig. 5.

A rack I 4 is placed on the tank I and this rack compriseslongitudinally extending slats I5 and transverse strips I6. Thesetransverse strips I6 have their ends positioned in sockets I1, Fig. 4.

A fan shaft I8 is operated by the motor 6, and on this shaft areagitators or fans I9. The shaft I8 is journalled upon brackets 20.

The tank I has a mineral water pipe 2I extending into same, Fig. 5, andthis pipe 2I is connected with a vapor or steam pipe 22, Fig. 8. Thispipe 22 has jets 23, and these jets 23 are positioned in the bottom ofthe tank I, Fig. 5, so as to discharge into said tank under the patientwho may be resting on the rack I4.

A drain pipe 24, Fig. 5, is provided for draining the motor compartment4, while the drain pipe 25 drains the main compartment of the tank.

In operation, mineral water is supplied to tank I by the pipe or line2I. The type of the water that is discharged into the tank is fixed bythe operator of the cabinet. The patient is placed in the cabinet andthen the cover 9 is closed down on the tank, with the opening 26registering with the neck of the patient, while the patients head isresting on the head-rest 8. By passing steam from the boiler 21 throughsteam pipe 28, Fig. 8, and discharging said steam through jets 23 intothe cold water, vapor will be caused to rise in the tank. This vaporcreates a fog in the cabinet, resulting in treating the patient in asatisfactory manner. After the proper treatment of the patient with thevapor bath, if it is desired, he can be showered, first with Warm waterand then with cooler water, and finally with cold water, through themedium of the showers I3.

The head-rest structure of this cabinet performs triple functions, towit: (1) a rest for the head; (2) a cover for the compartment, and (3)forms a guard against any one accidentally contacting the motor andthereby being hurt or soiling his hands or clothing.

While I have described the preferred embodiment of the invention andillustrated the same in the accompanying drawings, certain minor changesor alterations may appear to one skilled in the art to which thisinvention relates during the extensive manufacture of the same, and I,therefore, reserve the right to make 'such changes or alterations asshall fairly fall within the scope of the appended claim.

What I claim is:

In a vapor bath, a body forming an open topped tank having a bottom,parallel side walls and parallel end walls, said walls being of equalheights, said bottom having an extension projecting from one of itsends, and the side walls having extensions at the same end and of equalheight to the side walls of the body, a transverse wall rising from thefree edge-of the bottom extension and joining the side wall extensions,said transverse wall being of substantially one-half the height of theremaining walls, said side walls and their extensions having rabbetsformed on their inner edges, a foraminous rack having its sides restingremovably in the rabbets of the body side Walls, a head rack having itsside edges resting removable in the rabbets of the side wall extensions,a bracket mounted between the side wall extensions on the adjacent endwall, a motor supported on said bracket at a height greater than thetransverse wall, for access through the opening above said each wall, ashaft extending from the motor to lie longitudinally of the tank body,and circulating fans on said shaft.

ORLO R. BURWELL.

. References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

